Greetings once again.
A note to all fanficiton writers: if you love your readers, do not
purchase Disgaea, as that game will expand to fill all available free time.
Not that that's the only, or even the main, reason why I didn't touch
anything fanfic related for a while, but it certainly helped.
As well, though I don't believe I got around to individually replying to
you, my thanks to those who commented on the last few chapters, and rest
assured your comments will be taken into consideration when I finalize
the story.
That said, on with the fic.
Aaron Nowack
"Never let reality get in the way of a good hypothesis."
http://www.geocities.com/anowack/ (for now)
Shades of Gray
A Sailor Moon Fanfic
By: Aaron Nowack
Chapter 12: Betrayal of Trust
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself
does not become a monster... when you gaze long into the abyss,
the abyss also gazes into you."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
***********************************************************************
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, whose creative
talents far exceed my most humble own. Distribution and other rights to
Sailor Moon belong to lots of different companies that I do not own. I
make or imply no claim to ownership of Sailor Moon or its characters.
However, the text of this fanfic is mine, and should not be used without
permission. Thank you.
***********************************************************************
"Get out of my house!"
"But -" Michiru's plea was cut off by the Professor's angry
shout.
"You heard me! Leave, now!" Tomoe paused a moment, then
grimaced. "I'll have Tamori clear out your rooms tomorrow."
Haruka and Michiru winced. "Tamori," Michiru began, but her
voice failed her.
Her lover clenched her hand tightly and continued for her,
"Tamori was the Champion of Saturn. He is dead, too."
Professor Tomoe seemed to collapse under the strain of his
emotions, and he shrank back from the Senshi. "Leave," he repeated,
enforcing his words by shutting the door in his former boarders' faces.
For a moment the two stood staring at the door. Michiru raised
her hand as if to knock, but instead allowed it to fall back to her side
with a shake of the head. Wordlessly, Michiru turned to leave, and
Haruka soon followed suit. They were halfway to Haruka's car when she
stopped and spat out a curse.
"What are you doing here?" Haruka asked, nearly screaming as
Michiru lay a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"I have prepared accommodations," Setsuna stated calmly,
producing a large manila envelope.
Shaking with barely contained rage, Haruka managed to utter a
single word. "Why?" It was obvious that the question did not apply to
the issue of housing.
"Because it was necessary." Setsuna's voice was calm and
controlled, though barely so.
A wordless growl in her throat, Haruka shook herself from
Michiru's grasp and leapt forward, grabbing Setsuna's throat and lifting
her up with one hand. "Is that all you have to say?"
"Haruka!" Michiru gasped. She took a single step forward,
uncertain of what to do.
"Well?" Haruka asked. When Setsuna remained silent, Haruka
tightened her grasp and began to shake the older woman. "Answer me,
damn it!"
Setsuna's eyes narrowed, and an instant later she was free and
Haruka was on the ground. "That is all I can say. There are rules that
I must obey, and should I break them all the sacrifices we have made
would be in vain." The Senshi of Time paused momentarily. "You must
trust me that this is for the best."
Haruka glared up at Setsuna for a moment, and opened her mouth
to retort. However, after a moment she turned away, leaving her reply
unsaid.
Setsuna picked up the envelope from where it had fallen during
Haruka's assault and handed it to Michiru. "The keys and the address of
your new home are in there." When Michiru slowly nodded, Setsuna turned
to leave. "Goodbye."
She waited until she was alone to cry.
***********************************************************************
"This is not the first time I've done this. It most likely will
not be the last, either. It hasn't gotten any easier, and I have a
feeling it never will. I didn't say much the first time we had to do
this, and I won't now." Hades paused a moment, then summoned his sword
to his hands and raised it to the setting sun.
It was a full day since Chronus had fallen. Now, the Champions
gathered at the site of his death. The street was deserted, sealed away
behind police tape that, while no inconvenience to anyone who truly
wanted to pass, was enough to stop most people from intruding. The
Champions stood in a loose line near the scorch mark that marked their
brother's grave.
As the other Champions raised their swords, Hades began to speak
once again. "We are gathered here today to commemorate the loss of one
of our brothers, returned to the void from which we all came."
"From the void to the void." The reply was ragged, and more
than one of the Champions began to shed tears.
"His name was Chronus, Lord of Time," Hades stated.
Poseidon then spoke. "He was Illenar of Saturn."
"He was Taterion," Medea said. The recital continued down the
line of Champions until it reached Hermes, at which point Hades began
the cycle again. It seemed an eternal chant, a list of names that would
never end. But eventually, it did.
"He was Genitas," Zeus said, his voice heavy.
After a long moment of silence, Ares spoke. "He was Inusha
Tamori." By now the sun was almost below the horizon.
Another silence passed, and as one the Champions spoke. "He was
our brother."
Hades turned to face the others. "In his memory, we once again
affirm the oath we all swore, the oath for which our brother lived and
died."
"I will always help those who are in trouble, in need of help,
or in need of a friend. I will not turn my back on duty or honor. I
will fight for what is right and just. I will defend those who cannot
defend themselves. I will avenge those I cannot defend, and mourn those
I cannot avenge. This I swear, until all are one."
Some time later, the Champions had changed back into their
civilian forms and gathered once more in Ikawa's apartment. Tamori's
absence was a gaping wound, one that made the barely healed scars of
Fuera and Rega's deaths throb once again. For a few moments no one
spoke, all content merely to know that their pain was shared.
Ikawa's eyes swept the gathering. Motoki was seated on the bed,
head buried in his hands. His sister sat by his side, wordlessly
comforting him. Sachiko and Uji stood by the door, while Hoshi leaned
against the wall not far away. Though they had known Chronus for
generations, they had hardly had a chance to meet Inusha Tamori. Meno
was staring out the apartment's single window, his eyes distant.
With a shake of his head, Ikawa rose from his chair. Instantly,
all eyes in the room focused on him. His stare met those eyes for a
moment, then he spoke. "We cannot... we will not let his death be in
vain." Ikawa paused, searching for words. "The Senshi of Silence is no
more."
At this Uji spoke. "The dead of Juno can sleep somewhat easier,
knowing that none shall share their fate."
Motoki frowned. "Only for that, if at all." He paused, as his
friends turned to look at him. "We all heard what Meno said last time.
That wasn't really Iris that died today. Nobody was avenged." It was
Uji's turn to frown, but after a moment he nodded and dropped his gaze
to the floor. Motoki continued, "It was just some young girl, a girl
who had nothing to do with Juno -"
"A girl who knew who Tamori was," Meno interrupted, his eyes
hard.
In an instant the attention of those present had switched focus
again. "She knew his name. She said it just before...." Meno grimaced,
shaking his head. "She said it yesterday. I think I know who she is...
was."
Meno pulled out his computer and opened it. "When I was
searching for Hoshi, at one point he was over at where Tamori was
staying."
Hoshi nodded. "For the music project."
Meno continued. "I also got readings on everyone else in the
house. There were unusual energy patterns about, but I thought it was
just Tamori...." He shook his head again. "That's not important right
now. What is... is this." He punched a command into his computer, then
turned it around so all could see the images on the screen.
On one side of the screen was a familiar image, one taken of
Iris on Castle Charon shortly after she had been found. The other was
labeled Tomoe Hotaru. Meno waited for comments, but when none came he
entered another command, and the images vanished, to be replaced by four
more. "These are... were Tamori's other two housemates." Cyrene and
Dia. Tenou Haruka and Kaiou Michiru.
Hoshi blinked. "It fits," he said, half to himself. After a
moment he repeated himself, this time louder. "When you tried to Awaken
me, I started having seizures, probably from my memories trying to come
back. The worst one came when I was talking to Michiru and Haruka.
Given what you've told me about how the rest of you Awakened... it makes
sense. And Sailor Uranus and Neptune were in the cafe right from the
beginning of that battle. It all fits together."
Ikawa frowned. There was something... something he was trying
to remember. Something... Rei had told him once... about a girl
named... Hotaru... and something from Meno's meeting for Sailor Mercury.
He thought for a moment, then spoke. "I," he began, then stopped.
Ikawa realized that everyone was looking at him. "I...." He
paused for a moment, his voice faltering, then he continued, "I think I
know who Sailor Mars is."
***********************************************************************
Jadeite dreams. It is ages in the past, long before his birth,
a time he knows only in legends. Serenity the Dark plunges her awesome
empire, which the Silver Millenium will never rival, into despair,
barbarity, and war. Whole civilizations are wiped from existence, as
though they never were. Planet-wide cities are razed to their very
foundations. On Pluto, refugees, rebels, and fools plot in vain to
overcome the Queen's dark magics and her fallen warriors.
Jadeite dreams. A small light appears in the darkness. Heroes
the likes of which have yet to be seen again arise, spreading hope in
their path. Serenity's armies of demons and worse things are driven
back. The heroes enter her very palace, and steal the Five Diamonds
away to Pluto. The Champions are born, and the Golden Millenium finally
falls.
Jadeite dreams. Almost eight thousand years after that fall, he
is a man of a mere twenty years, in that long, awkward period where one
is no longer a child but not yet an adult, and he owns a name he has
long since forgotten. A commotion on the road outside his parents'
farm, and he saves a young prince from assassination. Years later, a
man called Kunzite comes to his door, and offers him a place as one of
the Prince's Guardians. He accepts, and from that moment on he is known
only by the name he will later take to infamy.
Jadeite dreams. He is on Mars, in an unnamed cave deep in the
trackless desert. This is the place where Deinas first manifested his
power. They go deeper into the cave, and Jadeite sees the corpse of the
giant wyrm. When he expresses surprise at its size, Phoebe laughs and
says it seems smaller than when it was alive. By all the Ten, she is
beautiful.
Jadeite dreams. He drowns himself in despair. His friends are
now his enemies, and it is his fault. Once again Kunzite approaches
him, and offers him salvation. He meets with Beryl for the first time
as a supplicant, rather than as an enemy. He journeys far to the north,
into the lands of endless ice. He finds his destination: a ruined,
ancient temple. Metallia speaks to him, and his life is changed
forever.
Jadeite dreams. The war is lost. A prison becomes a home. Once
again his closest friend abandons him. His home is destroyed by dragon-
flame, his realm lost, and he is made a laughing-stock among his peers.
Only Beryl remains his ally: sometimes friend, sometimes lover, always
Queen.
Jadeite dreams. The war begins anew. He returns to Terra but
finds a world changed beyond all understanding. The first stirrings of
his doom arrive, an enemy warrior called Sailor Moon, seemingly nothing
but a nuisance despite her similarity to the Senshi of old. More
"Sailor Senshi" arrive, foiling his plans and making their origin
obvious. He meets his doom, and a timeless instant passes before he
awakes.
Jadeite dreams. A dark power stirs. A power that once he loved
more than love, but the feeling does not return. He is free, and he
will not be bound again.
Jadeite dreams, and knows he will not remember the dreams upon
waking.
***********************************************************************
Sailor Pluto stalked through the halls of Castle Charon, making
circuit after circuit of the fortress, yet never entering the central
courtyard. She was not afraid... she refused to be afraid, but she kept
finding reason to put off entering and inspecting her charges. What had
happened the last time... if Metallia was able to manifest that strongly
in this dimension, then matters were already far worse than they had
been at the end of the last battle against the Dark Kingdom.
One thing the dark queen had said was true, and still troubled
her. The last time at the end, the worst Metallia had been able to do
was grant a fraction of her power to strengthen Beryl, and all the
Senshi had died in defeating her. They had come back, miraculously,
but... if the demon was fully freed, how could they stand against her?
Pharaoh 90 had been a threat the Senshi had barely defeated, and
Metallia was likely stronger still. And Saturn was no longer there to
aid them. Pluto's hands gripped her staff tightly. She would not...
could not dwell on that. If she did she would be unable to act,
paralyzed by pain and remorse, and that sacrifice would surely be in
vain.
Pluto whirled about and turned to enter the courtyard. The
black double doors, marked in white with her sigil, swung open at the
slightest thought, and she stepped through, entering the short hallway.
The set of doors behind her closed silently, and those before her
opened. Not allowing herself to hesitate, Pluto walked into the
courtyard with a long, sure stride, and the second set of doors closed
as well.
The Gates of Time were open. The Gates of Time were open, and
she had received no warning. A quick check showed that nothing had
passed through, much to her relief. There was only one thing this could
mean, and Pluto was not sure whether she should be pleased or not.
With a trembling step, Pluto entered the Gates of Time, and came
face to face with her future self. There had been longer gaps between
visits, but few had covered as eventful a period as that since the last,
which had occurred before Ares had awoken. The younger Pluto stared at
the familiar features for a long moment before speaking. "Why? Why
didn't you tell me what was going to happen? Why didn't you let me tell
them?"
The older Pluto lowered her eyes. "I could not," she whispered.
"Why not?" the younger Pluto demanded.
"Because then things would not proceed as they must."
Pluto took a step back, still glaring at her future self. "How
could letting things get this bad help bring about Crystal Tokyo?"
"There are certain challenges, certain events that there is no
way to avoid. If we halted all the others, the Senshi would never
survive those challenges. Much as the incident with the Doom Tree gave
them the strength to deal with the Black Moon Family, and that in turn
laid the seeds for the Death Busters' defeat, this too will pave the way
for victory in the next."
The younger Pluto's eyes flared. "The next?"
"There is little more I can tell you."
"Little is not none."
There was silence for a moment, and the older Pluto sighed. "The
Great Ice is coming. Not now, but soon. For a thousand years shall
Terra sleep, that is certain, but who can say what will arise from the
ashes? If you fail -"
"I will not fail."
"See that you don't." With that, the older Pluto took a step
backwards and vanished, propelled over a thousand years into the future
in an instant.
After a moment, Sailor Pluto turned and left, and the Gates of
Time shut themselves behind her.
***********************************************************************
Rei sighed as she swept the Shrine's front porch. It was a
familiar routine and it helped her calm herself for a moment. She
wished her grandfather were here. His frequent absences were often
convenient for the Senshi, but right now she really needed someone to
comfort her, even if she couldn't tell him exactly why she needed
comforting.
They had tried to hold a meeting last night, but little had been
accomplished. Usagi had barely been able to say a sentence without
breaking into tears, and the rest of the Senshi had been little better.
Rei shook her head. She still couldn't quite believe that Hotaru was...
gone, that she would never see her or one of her rare smiles or....
Rei shook her head a second time. She couldn't let herself fall
into that trap. She had to concentrate on the task at hand, and not let
herself drown herself in sorrow. It was advice she had given countless
people who had come to the Hikawa Shrine for comfort, but she had never
realized how hard it was to follow that advice.
She had been sweeping the same patch of floor for the past few
minutes, Rei realized. Shaking her head, she was about to resume her
sweeping when she heard the phone ring from within the shrine. With a
start, Rei dropped her broom and headed into the shrine.
By the phone's third ring she had reached it and she managed to
answer it before the fourth. "Hello?"
"Rei?"
"Hi, Ikawa," she replied. "What do you want?"
"Listen, Rei." Ikawa paused a moment, as though he was
searching for words. "I... I have something important that I really
have to talk to you about. Something really important." Ikawa's voice
was shaky. "Are... are you available?"
"Of course," Rei replied. What could possibly... "I'm not
going anywhere today."
"Good." Ikawa paused. "Listen... I'll be over in a hour or so,
okay?"
"That's fine." Rei replied.
"Good," Ikawa repeated. "I'll see you later then." With that,
he hung up.
Rei let the phone fall back into place, and with another shake
of her head headed back to the front porch. Whatever Ikawa wanted,
there was still work to do.
And in his apartment, Ikawa turned to look at Meno. "Call the
others. I'll be going to the Shrine in an hour."
Meno nodded and left. Ikawa stared at the door afterwards, and
thought of the long distant past.
***********************************************************************
Uji sighed as he leaned against the tree. "It's hard," he said.
Sachiko nodded. "I hardly knew him... I hardly know any of them
in this lifetime, but -"
"I know." Uji sighed. "Without him, we have nothing to protect
us from Pluto, you realize. For all we know, she could be watching us
right now."
"Short of going to Castle Charon, there's little we can do about
that, and I don't think we're ready to face Pluto on her home turf quite
yet," Sachiko replied.
Uji chuckled half-heartedly. "It's as much my world as hers."
He sighed for a moment. "It's been a long time since I've been on
Pluto. Not since...." Since he and Chronus had tried to eliminate the
Senshi of Time on the eve of the rebellion. That failure still irked
him. It was the first time in his long existence that someone he had
marked for death had survived his attentions. And had she fallen, who
knew how the rest of the war might have gone? Without the need for half
the fleet to keep her bottled up in Castle Charon....
That was long in the past now, though. He turned to Sachiko.
"Do you really think she's Sailor Mars?"
"How should I know? I doubt I've even seen the girl. Well,
unless Ikawa is right, of course." Sachiko sighed. "We're taking a
terrible risk. If she isn't the one, and she finds out who we are...."
Sachiko let her voice trail off.
"It's still better than Meno's -" Uji began, only to be cut off
by Sachiko.
"You're worried about Pluto spying on us, and you want to talk
about that?" she hissed at him quietly.
Uji started, then nodded. "You're right, of course."
"How are you two lovebirds doing?" The two turned to the voice,
which was quickly revealed to be Hoshi, who ventured a half-hearted
smile, before turning serious. "Have you heard anything?"
Sachiko shook her head. "Not yet. Ikawa should be heading out
soon, though."
Hoshi nodded. "All right. Should we get ready?"
"No," Uji replied. "We don't want to risk anyone finding out
what's going to happen too soon."
Sachiko nodded, then frowned. "Where are Glad... Motoki and
Unazuki?"
Hoshi shrugged. "Haven't seen them yet."
"They'd better be here before it's time to go," Uji said. "We'll
only get one chance at this, and we need to make it count."
Then Sachiko's cell phone rang.
***********************************************************************
Motoki nodded and hung up the phone. "Ms. Farrel?" he called.
The Crown's new proprietress turned to him, pushing a strand of
blonde hair behind her ears. "What is it?"
"I'm sorry, but I have to leave, and so does Unazuki. It's an
emergency."
"Are you sure? I might need some help getting this set up."
This was the recently received arcade cabinet for the new Super Sailor
Fighter II game.
Motoki shook his head. "I'm really sorry, but we really have to
leave."
Allana sighed, rolling her eyes. "Who else is in the cafe right
now?"
"Akane and Kazuma, I think."
"All right. I guess they can handle the rest of the shift, but
you two are going to need to make this time up, all right?" Allana said.
Motoki nodded. "Of course," he said, and then he left, leaving
Allana frowning at the arcade machine. Motoki quickly hurried into the
Crown Cafe, where his sister greeted him with a nod.
"It's time?" she asked.
Motoki nodded in response. "Ikawa's on his way."
A few moments later the two were on their way to the Hikawa
Shrine. When they were almost there, they met the others. "Where's
Meno?" Unazuki asked.
"He's following Ikawa," Sachiko replied. "We're supposed to
wait near here until he gives the signal."
Motoki nodded and glanced around the group. "Does everybody
remember their positions?"
As the group responded in the affirmative, Motoki gave a worried
glance up at the Hikawa Shrine. He didn't like this. If Ikawa was
wrong....
***********************************************************************
Sailor Pluto sighed as she appeared in Haruka and Michiru's new
house. It seemed as though it had been forever since she had truly had
a chance to rest. She was constantly racing from crisis to crisis, a
thousand points where a guiding hand was needed to nudge history along
the proper path. Sometimes it required no more than a single word, but
other times it was quite difficult. This was likely to be one of those.
Haruka's eyes narrowed as she saw her visitor. "What do you
want?" she asked, not rising from her seat. Michiru entered the room,
and started as she saw Pluto.
"There will be a battle at the Hikawa Shrine. We must be
there." Setsuna kept her voice flat.
"Why? So one of us can die?" Haruka said, her voice filled with
venom.
"Haruka!" Michiru said, glaring at her lover.
"We are soldiers. Soldiers die," Pluto stated, her eyes hard.
"Not even I could change that. Will you let your sorrow kill another?"
"Another? Rei?!" Haruka said rising.
"I cannot say any more. I have already said too much. Will you
come?"
"Of course!" Michiru said before Haruka could speak.
After a moment, Haruka nodded. "All right. But I'm calling Rei
first."
"There is no time. You must come, and you must come now."
Haruka glared at Pluto for a moment, then picked up the phone
and began to dial. A few moments later, she grimaced and slammed the
receiver down. "Answering machine. All right then. Let's go."
Pluto matched Haruka's scowl. "There's only one way to get
there in time now." The Senshi of Time's eyes flashed. "In the future,
don't ignore my warnings." Without waiting for any further discussion,
she raised her staff and the room vanished.
A moment later, Haruka and Michiru were looking around their new
surroundings with no small amount of wonder. "Where are we?" Michiru
asked.
"Castle Charon," Pluto replied curtly. "Now, transform." When
Haruka and Michiru had finished, Pluto spun about and headed for the
castle courtyard, and the other two Senshi raced to follow. Pluto
stopped before the black double doors, which once again swung open at
her slightest thought.
"You cannot enter here," Pluto said, turning to the other two.
She pointed down the curving hallway. "You will find doors marked with
your own sigils. They will open for you. Enter and wait for them to
close, and you will be able to enter the inner courtyard."
When the other two Senshi nodded, Pluto left, and soon the three
met once again. Sailor Neptune glanced at the intricate mural carved on
a slightly raised dais in the center of the courtyard. "What is that?"
she asked.
"The Great Seal," Pluto said as she walked over to the Gates of
Time. "Now be quiet. You do not want to know what will happen if I
make a mistake." She knew the chances of that happening were
infinitesimal, but she hoped it would keep the other two silent. She
was far from being in the mood to deal with any further questions, and
thankfully she did not have to. After a few moments, the Gates of Time
opened.
Shortly after that, the Gates of Time closed on an empty castle.
***********************************************************************
Ten thousand years ago...
Phoebe sighed as she entered the chambers she had inherited from
her predecessor. She could never quite see them as hers, even though
she had lived in them for decades. Even her tiny cell in Castle Charon
had been more comfortable to her than this lush suite. She supposed she
could have modified the rooms for her comfort, but the furnishings had
belonged to the Senshi Mars for generations, some pieces allegedly going
back to the dawn of the Silver Millenium.
Despite that, these rooms were the closest thing she had to a
home now, and so it was to them she went to get her much-needed rest. It
had been another long and difficult day. She had not quite comprehended
what had happened at Juno herself, and she had to try and explain it to
countless nobles and help them come up with a way to calm the rioting
populace.
Outside her window the smoke from those riots could clearly be
seen, and the flames that fed it made the horizon seem red. Most of the
city was abandoned to the rioters, the Royal Guard only protecting the
palace itself, and reports indicated the other cities fared little
better. Worse, someone had stirred her people to war against the
throne, and refugees from the surrounding farms had already entered the
city, reporting that the nomads had crossed the Angord Canal in force
and were burning their way to the capital.
Had things gone differently, Phoebe might now be with them,
reveling in the fierce joy of war, reveling even more in the opportunity
to strike back at her mother's killer. But now Phoebe was Senshi Mars,
and it was her duty to lead the Royal Guard to the repel the nomads, or
it would be if the Guard was capable of making it out of the city
without being devastated - more by desertion than by casualties.
Phoebe knew the other planets were likely in similar states, but
news from offworld was fragmentary and rare, as the Silver Fleet was no
longer responding to communications and therefore was not ferrying
messengers about the Solar System. What had happened to it Phoebe did
not know, and was too tired to care for now. In any case, unless she
found a way to calm the current crisis, what was happening on the other
worlds would be utterly irrelevant, to her at least. The nomads would
not spare her for her long-ago time as one of them.
With another sigh, Phoebe stripped herself of the red formal
gown she only wore when absolutely necessary, and filled her bathtub
with warm water. As she lowered herself into the steaming liquid,
Phoebe cleared her mind and tried not to think about the problems that
beset the Solar System.
She was about to give up on her efforts when a knock at the door
to her apartment distracted her. Swiftly exiting the bathtub and
wrapping a thick towel about herself, she raced to the door, knowing
that anyone who would disturb her at this late hour was on important
business.
When she opened the door, Phoebe could only stare in shock as
her visitor entered the room, shutting the door behind him.
"Hello, Phoebe," he said.
"Deinas!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Deinas was silent a moment. "Why shouldn't I visit my wife?" he
asked, his voiced forcibly casual.
"We aren't married anymore," Phoebe replied.
"But we have a older bond, do we not, Ahabal?" The nomad word
for lover made Phoebe wince, and she backed away from Deinas.
"We do," Phoebe admitted, turning her face away from Deinas's
steely gaze. After an awkward moment, she spoke again. "It is good you
are here. I... we need your help."
Deinas shook his head. "I'm not here to help you. I'm here to
ask for your help." He raised one hand, displaying a simple steel ring.
Phoebe gasped as she saw the symbol on the ring. It was a
symbol she had seen many times over the past few days, seen it painted
on walls and scrawled on pieces of paper tied around rocks and thrown
through the palace windows. "The Brotherhood?" she asked, disbelieving.
Deinas nodded. "Join us, Phoebe. You know the Queen is wrong
in this. With your help, we can force her to bring Iris to justice and
end the threat Senshi Saturn poses. Join us, and we can end this
wasteful conflict before it gets out of hand, and turn our energies to
ridding ourselves of the Metallian cults." Phoebe was silent. "Please,
Phoebe. By the bond we share, I beg you."
Phoebe shuddered, but turned away a second time. "No."
Deinas bowed his head. "Why, Phoebe? Why?"
Phoebe still could not look at Deinas as she answered. "For
love."
Deinas's eyes blazed. "Of who? Jadeite?" he asked reaching out
and roughly grabbing Phoebe.
With startling speed, Phoebe turned around and slapped Deinas on
the face. Before the sound of the blow had faded, Deinas had released
his hold, shrinking back before Phoebe's rage.
"Never touch me again, traitor," she spat. "I do not need to
explain myself to you. You couldn't understand."
"Phoebe -" Deinas interjected, but the princess continued
without stopping.
"You're not the Deinas I bonded with when I was young. I don't
know why I ever thought you were. Now leave, before I call the guards."
Phoebe spun around so Deinas could not see the tears that she was
beginning to shed.
Deinas took one last look at her before turning to leave. "I
love you, Phoebe," were the last words that would pass between them,
save those shouted from opposite sides of a battlefield between the
Betrayer of Peace and his eternal foe the Senshi of Fire.
Neither got any sleep that night.
That was then...
***********************************************************************
...and this is now.
Ikawa sighed as he glanced out the window at the Shrine grounds.
He didn't think he could put Rei off much longer. He would have to hope
that the others were in position. He was lucky the phone call had given
them a little bit longer to prepare. After all, this was their best
shot for ending this war without resort to Meno's plan.
Another glance outside the window gave him a glimpse of a figure
in forest green armor, which gave him a quick thumbs up. Ikawa smiled
wanly. The others were ready, then. He could only hope he was ready as
well. Hope, and wait for Rei. He began to hum an old tune as he did
so.
He heard Rei reentering the room. "The answering machine got it
before I could. You'd think Grandpa could afford to put a phone in this
part of the Shrine...." Her voice trailed off, and Ikawa fought the
urge to hold his breath, instead humming a little louder. Rei spoke
after a moment. "What... what is that song? It sounds familiar but..."
Ikawa waited a moment, then began to sing. It was not Japanese,
but instead an ancient language that had had not been heard for nearly
eighteen thousand years. The words were those the nomads of the ancient
Martian desert had sang as they rode to hunt... beasts or men. It had a
haunting beauty, and the words could be heard throughout the Hikawa
Shrine's grounds. Unseen, six people tensed, preparing for battle
themselves.
Rei gasped, the familiar yet unknown words stirring strange
emotions and thoughts. Unthinking, she said, "That's, that's the song
we sang when -"
Ikawa's face settled into a tight, almost forced smile as he let
the song die, for when Rei had spoken, it had been in the same tongue as
he. Ikawa turned, and still in that language, spoke himself. "So. It
is you... Phoebe."
Rei's face paled. "You're... you can't be!" she said in
Japanese.
Ikawa too switched to that language. "I am," he stated as his
sword appeared in his hands. "I am Deinas of Mars, the Champion of
Fire." He paused. "I am Ares." Three more words, and flames swept
over him, forming the blood red armor yet again. Forcing a fierce grin
onto his face, Ares raised his blade as it caught fire. "Are you ready
to die again, Phoebe?"
Rei stumbled back as Ares swung his blade in a slow arc. A
second swing forced her back again, and Ares closed the gap, raising his
blade high. This time Rei didn't wait and nearly threw herself
backwards. "Why?" she asked her voice filled with the mixed sounds of
rage and unshed tears.
Ares eyes flared. "You ask me that?" he asked as he advanced.
"Because it must be done! Because this accursed war must end!" He
slammed his blade into the ground as Rei rolled out of the way.
She swiftly rose, raising one hand and opening her mouth in
preparation to shout. That simply would not do. With surprising speed,
Ares pulled his blade out of the smoldering floor, and hurled himself at
Rei, forcing the girl to abandon her maneuver and run.
As Ares recovered from his lunge, Rei spun around to face him, a
small slip of paper appearing in her hands. As Rei began to chant, Ares
turned to her, biting back a laugh. He flexed his mind, and the ofuda
vanished in a burst of flame.
Quickly advancing, Ares once again forced a smile onto his lips.
"Care to try again?"
Rei turned to run, slapping at what seemed to be a wristwatch,
causing an audible beep. Ares's smile widened, and he leveled his
blade. The call had been made, and he could finally stop toying with
the girl. "Flame -"
***********************************************************************
All across Juuban, four young girls excused themselves from
whatever they were doing, and then they too hit a button on the side of
what appeared to be ordinary wristwatches. They waited expectantly, but
when no voice emerged, they began to worry, and talk between themselves.
Moments later, the four had identified who was missing from the
conversation, and they quickly headed for the Hikawa Shrine, pausing
only to transform. Moving over the rooftops, they made far better speed
then they would have on the ground.
And at their destination, six waited for their arrival.
***********************************************************************
Zeus caught a flash of movement on the street below, and
narrowed his eyes. "Here they come," he whispered to his sister, who
nodded. He glanced over to the next tree, which Hades stood behind. A
nod met his eyes, and Zeus responded in kind. He risked another look at
the street below, and saw four Senshi quickly advancing up the Hikawa
Shrine's steps.
His eyes took in their forms, and he repressed the urge to
wince. If Ikawa was right, and these four's arrival meant the other
Champion most likely was, then he had a very strong hunch as to the
other Inner Senshi's true identities. He felt Aphrodite's armored hand
clasp his, and he slowly nodded. "We wait for Medea," he said quietly,
and his sister smiled weakly.
"I know," she said, and her hand dropped, while her other
tightened on her thin blade. Zeus closed his eyes for a moment. He
could hardly believe that it was Unazuki who stood behind him, tensed
for battle. But then, he could hardly believe he was, as well.
On the stairs below, a shadow detached itself from the wall
behind the Senshi, revealing a woman in midnight-blue armor. "Excuse
me, ladies," Medea said. As the Senshi turned in surprise, she raised
her blade. "Mind Twist!"
As the Senshi reeled under the mental assault, Zeus and the
other Champions emerged from behind the trees at the top of the
stairway. His blade became a bar of lightning, flickering and jumping
in his hand as he pointed it at the Senshi. "Thunder Bolt!" The arc of
electricity hit Sailor Venus, causing the Senshi to spasm as her muscles
involuntarily contracted.
The other Senshi were likewise discomfited by other attacks, but
Sailor Mercury quickly managed to rise and summon a Shabon Spray to give
them some cover. Zeus's eyes narrowed. "Scatter!" he yelled, and his
wisdom was proven as a barrage of magical attacks strafed the Champions'
former locations.
A quick glance told Zeus that none of the Champions had been hit
and that the attacks had cleared away the magical fog. His blade coming
alive once again, Zeus began to race down the stairs, followed by the
others. As he neared the Senshi, he cast the Thunder Bolt, but he had
no time to see who it hit, if anyone, as Sailor Jupiter stood before
him, electricity sparkling in her hands.
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" the girl growled, sending the ball
lightning at her counterpart. Zeus batted the attack aside with the
flat of his blade, and closed the distance between the two of them. His
first strike scored a red gash down the Senshi's arm, but she managed to
weave under his second blow, delivering a quick series of punches to his
armored side.
Zeus cursed as he stumbled backward. He had forgotten how
unnaturally strong Lillana... no, it had to be Makoto... got when she
transformed. His opponent took advantage of his momentary distraction,
and her hands came alive with lightning once again.
"Supreme Thunder!" Zeus gritted his teeth as the lightning
coursed through him, pain permeating his entire body. He had to regain
the initiative or -
"Blazing Light!" Jupiter was forced to roll away from the
blinding, searing ball, and soon found Aphrodite upon her, golden blade
darting forward again and again, and sometimes drawing blood.
Zeus took a moment to observe the larger battle, and was pleased
to discover the Senshi were on the defensive, unable to coordinate any
sort of offensive. He moved forward to aid Medea, who was menacing
Serenity.
"Venus Love Me Chain!" Zeus tried to dodge, but only partly
succeeded as the attack ensnared his sword arm. He quickly grasped the
golden chain in his free hand, ignoring the pain as the energy burned
him even through his gauntlet, and yanked hard, pulling Sailor Venus to
him. Realizing her danger, the Senshi released the chain, which quickly
vanished, and Zeus raised his once again free sword arm.
"Thunder Bolt!" The attack missed Venus, but her distraction
allowed Hades to get the jump on her, and a sword blow sent the Senshi
of Love stumbling to the ground in a desperate dodge.
Zeus risked a glance up at the Hikawa Shrine. What was taking
Ares so long?
As though to answer the question, the Shrine's front wall burst
open, and Ares flew out of the new hole and into the ground.
***********************************************************************
Sailor Uranus followed her foe out of the shrine, pulling out
and unsheathing the Space Sword. As she landed, Ares rose, his own
sword ready. "Not going to try diplomacy this time, Cyrene?" he asked.
"No, you bastard," Uranus growled, thinking of the scene she had
seen as the three Outer Senshi had appeared in the middle of the Hikawa
Shrine. Uranus darted forward, blade striking out lightning-fast, but
Ares was faster still and his blade easily nudged hers aside. Uranus
leapt back before the Champion could counterattack. "After all, you've
proven time and time again that it's worthless with you, Betrayer of
Peace." The epitaph came to her lips unbidden.
Ares advanced, eyes flaring. "Don't call me that, Cyrene," he
growled as his blade met the Senshi's. "Or maybe I should call you
Haruka, hmm?"
Sailor Uranus froze for a moment, darting away from Ares's next
blow at the last moment. "How did you... it doesn't matter," she said,
baring her teeth. "Space Sword Blaster!"
Ares leapt out of the attack's path, rebounding off a nearby
tree and landing on the Hikawa Shrine's roof. "Come and get me,
Cyrene," he yelled down at the Senshi.
"With pleasure, Betrayer." Uranus leapt straight up, not
noticing the sudden, impossible wind that boosted her jump, and landed
behind Ares. The Champion spun and struck out with his blade, but
Uranus turned the attack aside with her own sword and closed the
distance between her and Ares, launching a counterattack that sliced a
thin gash in Ares's breastplate.
Ares retreated as Uranus struck again, unable to risk an attack.
"You've gotten better, Cyrene." He suddenly smiled, and his blade
lashed out through a hole in Uranus's defenses. "But still not good
enough."
The wind roared, and Ares stumbled under the sudden force.
Distracted, he was unable to avoid Uranus's next blow, and he fell to
the roof, trying to ignore the line of pain down his leg. "That's the
way you want to play, Cyrene?" he asked, as he forced himself to his
feet, leaning on his blade. With a grunt he forced the blade into the
roof.
Uranus's eyes widened as she backed away. "Don't, the roof..."
Ares grinned. "Raging Inferno!" The two vanished in a storm of
fire, and soon all that was visible from the ground was flame and smoke
as the Hikawa Shrine caught on fire.
Down below, the other two Outer Senshi and Sailor Mars had some
time ago made their way out of the Shrine and joined the melee, more
than evening the odds. The chaotic melee swirled throughout the front
of the shrine's grounds, with no clear line of battle. One tree leaned
over as though it had been struck by lightning, and indeed that was the
cause of its ailment. Beneath it, Sailor Mars paused in her next
attack, staring in horror at the rapidly growing column of smoke coming
from her home.
Zeus, her current foe, took advantage of her distraction to
break away and head for the stairs. "Champions! To me!" he called. The
battle had turned bad, and he was in no way going to risk another
casualty with such poor odds of success.
As his allies too forced their way out of their own battles and
assembled with him, Zeus cursed. "Where the hell is Ares?" he growled
as he noticed the once again missing Champion.
Hermes grimaced, glancing at the Shrine. "He was on the roof
with Uranus."
Zeus cursed again, but shortly had no more time to worry about
Ares, as the Senshi had recovered from their surprise at the Champion's
sudden retreat and he had to dodge a barrage of attacks.
***********************************************************************
Ares rose from the pile of burning rubble, flaming sword in
hand. His eyes swept the rubble, searching for the form he knew had to
be there. When he found it, he kicked aside the burning beam that lay
atop Uranus, ignoring it as it landed and the flames spread.
His blade hovered over the Senshi's neck, and Uranus stirred and
slowly rolled over, eyes blank. Ares grinned. "I win again, Cyrene.
And this time I won't show you any mercy."
Uranus glanced at the Space Sword, tantalizingly close, but Ares
could kill her before she could raise it. Her eyes narrowed and turned
back to her foe. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."
"Yes, you should have," Ares replied. "And I should have killed
you when I had the chance." Pain filled his eyes for a moment. "Maybe
Tamori would still be alive if I have."
Uranus closed her eyes for a moment. "He was my friend too." A
bit of an exaggeration, given the short period of time she had known the
man, but not by too much.
"And Iris killed him. How does that make you feel... Haruka?"
Ares asked, teeth barred. "How do you think that makes me feel?" Ares
paused. "At least he took care of that murderous bitch before he died."
Uranus's eyes flared. "Don't you dare talk about Hotaru like
that!" she nearly yelled.
"And how do you think you can stop me?" Ares said. The Champion
took a halting step forward. "I've wasted enough time with you."
Uranus's eyes narrowed. A chance! Her leg kicked out quickly,
knocking the beam Ares stood on away. The Champion stumbled, and fell
atop her, his sword falling to the side. Uranus managed to grab the
blade before Ares could.
For a long time, the two lay there silently as the smoke rose
around them. Uranus could feel Ares's blood oozing out of his wounds
and mingled with her own. Their eyes locked, hatred flaring in both of
pairs. In the distance, sirens began to sound.
The tableau was broken as Uranus sighed and hurled Ares's sword
aside. "Get off of me," she said tiredly.
After a moment, Ares complied, rolling towards his weapon.
Uranus stood and retrieved her own, and a moment later the Champion had
done likewise. The two locked gazes again, and once again two silently
stared at each other.
Then the sounds of combat from outside died out, and the sirens
sounded louder as they rapidly approached. With another sigh, Uranus
sheathed her blade. "This accomplishes nothing, Deinas." The name came
to her from memories she hadn't realized she had. For a moment, she
could remember the glory and the despair, the pride and the pain, the
look in Allasandra's face -
"At the Palace of Light," Uranus said suddenly, "after I left,
did the defenders... did they surrender or...."
Ares's eyes were distant. "You left on the eighth day of the
siege. The Palace held for once again as long afterwards. The
defenders... they fought to the last man, even after defeat was certain.
We buried them in the royal graveyard, with our own fallen."
Uranus closed her eyes, not fearing an attack. "It was so
pointless, wasn't it?"
Ares shook his head. "Never. Iris could not be allowed to
live. Senshi Saturn had to be forever eliminated. We could not let
another world be destroyed!" Ares was shouting.
"But they were," Uranus said. "The Sunshield was failing at the
end, I remember. The ice wastes of Mercury were turned into a fiery
hell. Venus never recovered from the devastation we caused. Mars
wasted away in an endless drought. The floating cities of the outer
planets fell; Pluto and Luna were turned to craters and ash. Terra was
ravaged by the youma." Uranus shook her head slowly. "It was
pointless."
Ares shook, either with rage or despair. "You really have
changed, Cyre...." He paused. "You really aren't Cyrene."
Uranus nodded silently.
Ares shuddered. "What was... what was... Hotaru like?"
Uranus bowed her head. "She was a kind, sad girl who was always
afraid that she would hurt someone."
After a moment, Ares lowered his own head. "I... I am sorry
that someone like that had to die." Ares raised his gaze, locking his
hard eyes with Uranus's. "But it was necessary. There was no other way
for this world to be safe." The Champion paused. "I will not allow
Crystal Tokyo to come to pass, Senshi. That which Sailor Pluto does was
long ago forbidden, for good reason. The dangers are far beyond your,
or even my, comprehension, but I will fulfill my oath. I will fight
her."
Uranus opened her mouth, then shut it, indecision in her eyes.
After a moment, she spoke. "Then the Senshi will fight you." Her hands
were clenched white around the hilt of her sheathed blade. She did
not... could not trust Pluto, not after she had let Hotaru die, and it
was tempting to agree with the Champion, but she knew that Ares would
not settle for anything less than Pluto's death. Uranus would not allow
herself to become like she once was, willing to sacrifice others. She
would not be like Pluto.
Ares nodded, as though he had expected no less. The sirens were
now directly outside the shrine, and it was obvious that the other
combatants were long ago fled. "Then we will finish this another day,
Haruka. I look forward to it."
"You have me at a disadvantage," Uranus stated. "You know my
name, but yours is a mystery to me."
Ares frowned, but spoke, a hint of sadness in his voice. "I am
still Deinas of Mars."
Not long later, the Hikawa Shrine was empty, and the flames
began to retreat under an assault of water from the firemen who had
gather to combat them.
***********************************************************************
The darkness was a physical thing. Even the light from the dark
energy that crackled over the altar merely made the sanctum seem even
more like a void of nothingness. The hum of the energy was loud,
drowning out the continual churning of bubbling of the fluids inside the
massive chrysalis that hung over the altar.
Nyxan and Ishamanar bowed deeply to the chrysalis, then
straightened. Lately Metallia had been unresponsive, all her powers
focused on the great work she performed. Ishamanar spoke regardless,
for they both know that even if the goddess failed to respond, she
listened. "Asphara has reported, Great One. The device is installed,
with no interference from the Senshi or Champions. She anticipates the
energy production will double."
When no reply was made, Ishamanar continued. "The Champions and
the Senshi fought each other again. It seems it was a heated conflict,
but Asphara heard no words of any casualties."
Nyxan then spoke. "Great One, we have reports of an army
landing on the southern shores. They are apparently heading north,
directly towards this palace. We have no confirmation, but there is no
one else it could likely be but the Dragon of the South. Loriel stirs
as well, and his forces have crossed the treaty line. What should we
do, Great One?"
For a moment there was silence, then Metallia's presence
strengthened, and her voice resounded in her servant's minds. "The
Dragons will kneel at my feet and beg to serve. But until I am free...
Loriel is too far north to be of any concern, but Scalae... do not allow
her to reach the palace."
Nyxan prostrated himself. "My Queen, I beg your mercy, but I
fear I will not be able to do this. The armies will answer to none but
Jadeite, and he has not been seen for days."
"Then Jadeite they will see. You will set him against Scalae,
and those who would oppose my rule will defeat themselves."
Nyxan rose and bowed. "By your will, Great One."
And in his chambers above, the former General stirred, his
dreams fading away with the pain in his shoulder. And as he rose and
opened his door, his Generals were waiting for him, with urgent news of
Scalae's assault. By the end of the day, Jadeite had marched south,
with all the troops he could gather. Scalae must have been behind the
magical surge, he was sure, and now she sought to force him to submit.
But he would bow to no one.
To the south, Scalae's forces marched to meet him, sure that
they would succeed where Mordrangar failed. After all, had their
mistress not sent Mordrangar fleeing north in the last war? That they
had fled south as well had been long forgotten. And at their head,
Scalae worried a nameless worry she could not allow herself to identify,
for to know it would be love it and worship it with all her being as she
once had before. And she would not allow herself to be bound again.
And in the darkness, Metallia worked, certain in her victory.
All would be as she had foreseen it. She would reign forever, as always
should have been.
***********************************************************************
Author's Random Ramblings
1) Another revision down, after a bit of a delay. Unfortunately, I
didn't get much done on any of my other writings during the delay
either.
2) The prereaders for this chapter were Angus MacSpon, Rebecca Nowack,
and Chaeotica. Brian Randall also commented on the original version of
this chapter.
3) As always, C&C, positive or negative, is deeply appreciated.
4) The previous chapters of this revision, following the first instance
of someone actually requesting them and my realization that they're far
enough along that it isn't practical to send the whole thing through
email, can now be found at http://studentweb.tulane.edu/~anowack/sogr/
5) Just cosmetic revisions this time, hardly worthy of a repost save as
another chance for other eyes to catch mistakes I missed.
Released: November 14, 2002
Revised: November 18, 2003
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